Treating Hyperpigmentation for Black Skin
If you are a Black person and have ever dealt with or are dealing with hyperpigmentation, you definitely are not alone. Not to be dramatic, but hyperpigmentation has been the bane of existence of black skin since creation! Black skin has more melanin than lighter toned skin colours and this comes with its set of challenges.
While I have grown to be comfortable in my own skin and I try to love my body in every state (I live in it and it does an amazing job of housing me), I do not enjoy seeing any hyper pigmented marks on it. It’s even worse when the unwanted mark is on my face. I am sure you feel the same way too (in a less dramatic way of course) and that’s why you’re here.
Anyway, less ranting and more focus on solutions. Most times, hyperpigmentation is caused by inflammation. What this means is that if your skin is actively inflamed, your main concern should be tackling the inflammation. I talk about my journey with acne in this article. This left me with a lot of hyperpigmented scars as seen in the picture.
If your skin is filled with testaments of the battles it has fought in the form of hyperpigmented scars, just like mine was, then I hope these recommendations are as helpful to you as they were to me. These are just some of the products I used that were highly effective.
I have used the Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum for years but I did not appreciate the pure genius of this serum until recently. Not only did this help lighten my scars, it is extremely hydrating. I love that the Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum is gentle on my skin. I find myself reaching for this serum when my skin is not looking its best and I need the supple glow that this gives.
This cleanser was a game changer for me when it came to tackling my acne scars. Not only did my scars look a lot lighter, my skin also felt like glass and had such a glow. It was my first SkinCeuticals product and it made me fall in love with the brand.
This cleanser contains glycolic acid which is a great exfoliant. Some say that glycolic acid is not so great for Black skin but I had absolutely no complaints with this product. Another upside is that it lasted forever. I have currently switched to SkinCeuticals Simply Gel Cleanser but I will definitely purchase the Glycolic renewal cleanser again.
Another SkinCeuticals favourite which helped me with my acne and the scarring too. Again, you can read about my acne journey here. SkinCeuticals describes it as “a targeted, oil-free approach for aging skin prone to breakouts”. I had just turned 30 when I started using this and it was well suited for my skin. I found it a bit drying on its own so I always followed up with a hydrating and soothing serum such as the SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Gel or the Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum which is the next item on my list.
Civant Meladerm Pigment Correction
I bought the Civant Meladerm Pigment Correction after I read all the great reviews on it and I am glad I did. It’s hydroquinone free and contains bearberry extract which is a natural skin brightener. I used this directly on my scars and noticed a remarkable improvement from continuous usage. I would definitely recommend this.
The importance of using sunscreen simply cannot be overemphasized. If you have the luxury of skipping any step in your routine, sunscreen should definitely not be the one. Why is sunscreen important? It basically protects your skin from harmful UV rays and we want something that does this because the body’s natural response to UV rays is to produce more melanin! An increase in the production of melanin can lead to (and in most cases do) hyperpigmentation.
The Mesoestetic Mesoprotech Melan SPF 130+ sunscreen is simply amazing. Whenever I use this I feel like I am wearing a shield on my face. I think of it as a sunshield. Mesoestetic describes this as a “very high factor sun protection”. It’s very heavy duty, has some tint to it but it blends so well into my skin and gives it a glow. It contains azeloglicina which actively prevents melanin production and addresses dark spots.
This sunscreen also sits well under make-up and last forever. The way I slather this all over my face and neck, you would think I’d run out in a week!
These are just a few of the products that I used for my scars. I was very particular about including soothing products in my routine. That’s just what works best for my skin and helps it thrive. These products are just recommendations and while they worked for me and have worked for thousands of people, they may not have the same effect on everyone.
In addition to using products for your hyperpigmentation, I would also highly recommend a dose and a half of patience. Nothing takes care of scars like time does. Your skin would thank you for it.
